Composite stick



R. B. COLEMAN.

COMPOSITE STICK.

APPLICATION FILED AUG.5. 1916.

1,3 1 0,004. Patented July 15, 1919.

. Inventor ROZe7Z,B C'ozenzan/ dzii ROBERT B. COLEMAN, OF LOS ANGE'LES, CALIFORNIA.

COMPOSITE $TICK.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented July 15, 1919.

Application filed August 5, 1916. Serial No. 113,362.

pressed and shaped into any desired form' and are provided with a suitable holding or binding means, the said binding means being so applied that expansion in the materials compressed due to any cause will be accommodated without breaking or injuring the binding means.

It is an object of the invention to provide a composite article or stick with a binding means having a slack portion therein adapted to permit the materials to expand without breaking the binding means.

It is also an object of the invention to provide a composite stick of sawdust, shavings, chips or other loose materials, to which is applied binding wires having a slack portion left therein to accommodate the swelling and expansion of the materials as for instance when they are wet, without the danger of snapping and breaking the wires.

In the accompanying drawing:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of a com posite article made and bound in accordance with the present invention.

Fig. 2 is a longitudinal central sectional view through the same, showing binding wires in position for holding the same in compact form, the wires being in side elevation.

Fig. 3 is a side-elevation of one portion of a composite member and a portion of another, showing the binding wires drawn to gether between them and twisted to fasten the materials in place.

Fig. 4 is a sectional view through one of said composite articles or sticks.

Composite articles of various kinds and particularly of waste materials, which are adapted to be compressed and formed into composite articles, sticks, briquets or the like for use as fuel or other purposes, have heretofore been made, and shavings, saW- dust, chips and the like have been heretofore pressed in stick form, and bound with wires for holding them in place. Such commodities however,have always been so bound that the wires or other binding means were drawn snugand tight upon the materials with the result that if the said materials become ,wet or otherwise affected, so as to become swollen or expanded, the wires would snap and become loose, whereby the materials were no longer held in position, to be properly usable as fuel or similar purposes. It is the purpose of this invention to be able to compress, shape and bind such materials so that expansion will be properly allowed for and cannot destroy the effectiveness of the compressed substances as a fuel.

The details and features of the invention will now be more specifically described, reference being had to the drawing in which 1 indicates an article or stick of compressed materials and 2, kerfs or grooves formed in the sides thereof. Binding means in the form of wires 3 and 4 are illustrated for holding the composite stick in its compressed form. The wires may be secured together in any desired manner but are preferably twisted as at 5 and 6 to secure them at the opposite ends of the article. In order to accommodate the swelling or expanding of the compressed materials, as for instance when they become wet, a slack portion is formed in the wires at any suitable point of suflioient size to permit of enough expansion without the danger of breaking or snapping the wires. It is usually sufficient to form a slack space as at 7, in the wires at one end of the stick, though of course it might be located at any point in the length of the wires and at either end of the stick, with out departing in the least from the spirit of the invention. The materials compressed are preferably bro-ughtinto a somewhat compact form in a suitable machine or mechanism designed for the purpose. Such a ma chine has been set forth in an application filed by me, Aug. 5, 1916, 113,363 now Patent 1,260,514, March 26, 1918, comprising means for continuously forcing the materials to be compressed into and through a forming die in a continuous stick. The stick is broken off in suitable lengths, the wires being pulled out between them. A suitable twisting and cutting mechanism is then caused to engage the wires and twist them as shown in Fig. 3 of the drawing, after which the wires are cut at a point intermediate the length of the twisted part. The wires are usually twisted so that a vacant or slack space as at 7 is left between them, usually at one end of a stick, since that js generally sufficient. The length of the slack portion may be varied as desired and in accordance with the character of the materials compressed.

The compressing of certain materials in this manner forms an excellent fuel out of various waste products. When compressing such materials as shavings, sawdust, chips and the like, the wire is preferably more or less deeply embedded in the sides of the stick, the grooves 2 being made to accommodate the wires. In burning a fuel of this kind, the shavings and sawdust will soon curl out from under the wires and split and become loose too readily if the wires are not properly embedded in the sides of the stick. For this reason the use of the deep kerfs with the wires laid therein, is important in producing a fuel which will not disintegrate and burn too rapidly. With the fuel of this kind also if any of it becomes wet, the wood will swell and expand to such an extent as to snap the wires unless a slack space as 7 is provided. This has been one of the chief difficulties in'producing sticks or briquets of compressed materials for fuel heretofore. If the wires break in this man'- ner, the fuel becomes of no value for it will all fall apart immediately upon being put into the fire and will burn too rapidly to be of any value as a fuel.

In machines which have been adapted for compressing articles, materials and waste substances in a stick or briquet form, the materials which have to be tightly packed together, are frequently compressed too tightly within the wires, and as no slack of room has been left within the wires, a large percentage of the bound sticks have been found to break their wires before they could be used as fuel, thus destroying their quality as a fuel. The providing of sticks or blocks of compressed material with a slack space in their binding wires also insures their being held together in the fire a suflicient length of time. Where no slack is left the wire, the heat from the fire when the fuel is pressed therein, quickly ruptures the wire and permits the materials to fall apart too soon. The bound article of the invention obviates all these difliculties.

A composite stick of this kind makes it possible to use all kinds of waste material for the purposes of fuel. Especially can sawdust and shavings be made into fuel'as can also waste straw with chaff and weeds, hay, etc, be used and compressed so as to form an excellent fuel. It will of course be understood that the kinds of materials of which such a composite stick can be made are not limited and that many kinds of materials and waste matter can be used with in the scope of the invention.

What is claimed is:

An article of manufacture comprising a fuel stick made up of loose materials pressed together into form and having longitudinally disposed retaining grooves in its sides, and binding wires around said stick, longitudinally thereof, in said grooves, and twisted together at the end of said stick, at a space therefrom, whereby to leave a definite slack space between the end. of the stick and the wires for expansion purposes, substantially as shown and described.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto set my hand, in presence of two witnesses. ROBERT B. COLEMAN.

Witnesses:

RosEBUD CARNEs, GAssELL SEVERANCE.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. G. 

